


A Necessary Evil

by whattheheckdidyoudo



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: (kinda), Angst, Christmas, F/F, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Suicide, In-Laws, Internalized Homophobia, Kate Marsh Protection Squad, Making Out, Nightmares, No Smut, PTSD, Sacrifice Chloe Ending, Self-Harm, Suicide Attempt, named Kate's sister Jodie cuz she didn't have a name
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2018-10-24 14:54:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10743960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whattheheckdidyoudo/pseuds/whattheheckdidyoudo
Summary: It's Christmas time and the Marsh family has invited Kate's good friend Max to have the holidays with them! There's a bit of a problem, however. Max and Kate are a little more than friends.





	1. December 23rd

**Author's Note:**

> This fic takes place in the universe where Chloe dies.
> 
> Sorry blue bae.

Max couldn't lie about her disappointment to hear that her parents were going on a cruise for Christmas, but she could hardly blame them. A free Caribbean cruise trip was hardly something you could give up for seeing your hipster daughter. She had absentmindedly mentioned her lack of Christmas plans to Kate one morning while they were getting ready. Kate had practically moved into Max's room. She had a stack of neatly folded clothes there, her bunny, and her book bag in there almost all the time. She hadn't slept in her own room in a week.

Kate seemed worried about her girlfriend. "Max, where are you going to go?" She asked.

"I think I'll just stay around the dorms. My parents sent me plenty of money, so I could just stay in old Arcadia Bay." Max smiled and slipped her shoes on.

"Max, you cannot tell me you're not doing anything for Christmas!" Kate was shocked.

"My parents are going to send me presents, and I'm perfectly happy to hang around here." Max shrugged.

"No!" Kate bursted out. "I won't have you sitting around all of Christmas break! You're going to come down with me to my family home!"

"Kate, you don't know how well they're going to react..." Max sighed. "Y'know, about us."

Kate sucked in a sharp breath. She hadn't thought about that. She stayed still for a moment then spoke slowly.

"They have no right to question me or my faith." She frowned trying to think of the right words. "They loved me after the Dark Room incident, and they'll love me now."

Max shivered to think of the Dark Room, but she tried to put on a little smile for her girlfriend. 

"If you say so." One side of her mouth was upturned.

Kate's smile was giant. Her grin made the room feel a bit brighter, and she quickly hugged Max sweetly.

"I'll call them tonight." She said softly.

"Oh, and by the way, Max," Kate said as she backed away, "no ripped jeans or punk outfits."

"Excuse you!" Max said in fake offense. "I only wear the holiest of outfits!"

"I will be picking out your wardrobe for our trip to our parents." She grinned and walked over to Max's closet. She picked out the only pair of dress pants Max owned. "This will be good." She nodded. "You don't own many skirts, do you, Max?" She asked, but Max knew she was really just talking to herself.

\-----

"Kate, I'm having second thoughts." Max said as they climbed onto the bus. "Even if we decide not to tell them about us, they might find out! And if we do tell them, they might be terribly mad at me and you!"

"Yes, I understand that's a possibility, but..." Kate hesitated. "I want to be open to them. If they don't accept me, then I still have you and my other friends. I know that my faith is strong, and they can't change that." She smiled with a a little bit of confidence.

"You've really thought this through, huh?" Max held Kate's hand.

"Yeah, I guess." Kate blushed a bit.

"Then I'll be here for you whether you want to go back to Blackwell or tough it out with the folks." Max grinned.

Kate smiled and leaned her head on Max's shoulder. 

"So, about my family." She started. "I have sisters named Lynn and Jodie. Lynn is the baby at ten, and Jodie is fifteen. They'll like you a lot, I'm sure. Jodie is kinda reaching a hipster fashion stage, so she'll love your style."

"I thought you only packed me dress clothes!" Max giggled.

"Okay, I packed you one of your flannel shirts, but only one!" Kate giggled with her.

"Anyway," she continued, "my dad is a preacher, and my mom..." Her breath hitched.

"Kate, what's wrong?" Max looked down worriedly.

"I just remembered how upset she'll be about us." Kate refused to look up at Max. "I love you, and I want to be with you, but she'll say that I'm on a track to Hell if she knows."

"Oh, Kate." Max lent her head down to kiss Kate on the top of her head. "It'll be okay. They don't want to lose you, I know it."

"I know." Kate muttered. She pulled her head up and let Max give her a quick kiss on the lips. "I'm just scared."

Max held her tighter.

The bus stopped about a mile away from Kate's home. Max was extremely glad she hadn't brought more than one duffle bag so that she could help Kate out carrying the Christmas presents for her family. Max couldn't imagine Kate holding more than a pound without breaking, but Kate wanted Max to give her more credit.

Every once in a while, Kate would point to a landmark and say something like, "Oh, that's where we taught Lynn how to swim!" or "Jodie tried to learn how to drive in that subdivision."

Max could really see how much Kate cared about her sisters, and if Kate cared, she would care as well.

Kate's face was unreadable when they came to the front door. The events of the video's aftermath seemed to dawn on her just as she was excited to see her family again. After all, the last time she had seen them was in a hospital room, one of which that they took their sweet time to get to. Max remembered how mad she was that Kate tried to commit suicide on Tuesday, and her family couldn't come to visit her until Friday. Before, it wasn't her business, but now that she was coming face to face to these people, it felt a bit more personal.

"Kate, it'll be alright." Max tried to smile at her companion.

Kate seemed to debate knocking for another few seconds before a shout rang out from inside the house.

"KATE!" A young girl yelled. "KATE!" The door swung open quickly and soon there was a pair of arms wrapped around Kate's waist. 

"Hey, Lynn." Kate smiled down at her little sister. Unfortunately, she didn't have the free arms to hug her back.

Soon, the rest of the Marsh family came clamoring to the door. Kate's parents and other sister Max recognized, but there were a few figures who were new. A woman who looked a lot like Kate's father stood away from the door holding the hand of what Max assumed to be her husband.

"Hello, everyone!" Kate smiled. Max was relived to see how genuine her grin was. "This is Max." Kate purposefully left out what their relationship to one another was. "Max, these are my parents, my sisters, and my Auntie and Uncle." Max stiffened remembering the letter Kate had gotten from her aunt. So this was the fabled Auntie Marsh.

"Hello." Max smiled meekly, realizing all the eyes on her. "I'm Max, and I go to school with Kate. Also I like photography." Max realized how little there was to say about her. Well, besides the whole "My best friend whom I was totally gay for died, but I remember an alternate universe where she lived another week before I had to decide to kill her over a whole towns worth of people." thing. Max decided it wasn't a good conversation topic.

"Hello, Max." Kate's father beamed. He reminded Max so much of William Price. The way his smile radiated across the room, and the way he looked even at strangers. No wonder Kate was so fond of him.

The family rang in a chorus of greetings until Kate's dad finally beckoned them inside. 

"Max, is it alright if you sleep in my room?" Kate asked, though she knew the answer.

"Of course." Max grinned. "Is your bed big, or are we gonna have to break out the sleeping bag?"

Kate giggled a bit. Max felt so awkward talking to her about how they'd be sleeping together (bad wording) in front of her family.

"We'll figure something out." Kate shrugged.

"Well," Mr. Marsh said, "dinner is almost ready, so why don't we go into the dining room?"

Max nodded and tried to smile politely as much as she could. She felt out of her element in a way. Her family never really had gatherings around holidays like this.

The dinner made by Auntie Marsh and her husband was wonderful. Max found herself making an embarrassing dent in the mashed potatoes bowl before calming down a bit.

"So," Mrs. Marsh put on the same kind of forced smile Max was struggling with, "Max, tell us about yourself."

"Well, my full name is Maxine Caulfield. I go to and board at Blackwell with Kate, obviously. During breaks, I usually go to my parents house, but they decided to go on a cruise. Kate invited me to stay over here, so here I am!" Max smiled.

"I wish we could go on a cruise." Lynn whined until her mother slapped the back of her hand.

"She's in my photography class." Kate looked proudly at Max. "Best photographer there." The table grew silent at the mention of Mr. Jefferson's old class.

"Yeah, but Kate's amazing too." Max tried to liven up the room. "She has a much more colorful style than I do."

"You mean I just take pictures of brightly colored flowers and you, Max." Kate giggled. 

"That's not a bad thing!" Max laughed back.

The girls realized the whole table was looking at how happily they chatted with each other. They had gotten completely lost in the moment to realize they were being observed.

The table went silent again besides the occasional clacking of forks against plates.

"What do you take pictures of usually, Max?" Jodie asked politely.

"Depends what is around." Max answered. "Usually it's animals or some kind of posed shot. Like one I took with Kate touching the lighthouse with the sunset in the background. Took ages to get the light right." She laughed a bit.

"So, Max, do you know where you want to go to college?" Kate's aunt finally spoke.

"No, but I've been looking around a bit." Max stated. "I have a list I'm trying to narrow down."

"Well, my son goes to a college near here." She spoke without much emotion. "It's not bad, from what I've seen."

"Maybe I'll meet him one day if I go to his college." Max tried to be polite.

"I'm sure you could get along." Auntie Marsh's husband smiled kindly.

Max smiled and nodded respectfully as the silence took over the room again.

"The food was delicious." Max smiled as she put down her spoon.

"Thank you, Max." Auntie Marsh's husband spoke up. "I saw that you particularly enjoyed the mashed potatoes."

Max blushed. "Yes, I did. You may have to give me the recipe, Mister..." She asked for his name.

"Call me Mr. Tucker. And, about the mashed potatoes, it's a family secret." He winked.

Max looked over to smile at Kate. Besides Auntie Marsh's general apathy to seemingly everything, it was going well.

"Well, you girls are welcome to go up to your room." Mr. Marsh said while folding up his napkin neatly. "Most of our family retires to bed early, so try to keep it down once the hallway light goes off."

"Yes, sir." Max nodded.

"Of course, Daddy." Kate grinned. She stood up and gave him a quick peck on his cheek before turning towards the stairs. "C'mon, Max."

"Thank you again for the meal." Max said as the followed Kate.

Kate slid across the wood floors in her socks into her room and jumped backwards on her bed. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"That could've gone so much worse." Kate smiled a bit.

"Did it really go that well?" Max smiled and laughed a bit.

"No mentions from my Aunt about who would and wouldn't be going to Hell, no questions about religion, and my uncle seems to really like you." Kate smiled. "Could it have gone better?"

"Well, if you thought it went so well, then I'd have to agree." Max laid down next to her and held her hand.


	2. December 24th (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings for brief suicide and self harm mentions! Stay safe, babes. <3

Kate woke up to a very attached Max cuddling up next to her. For a moment, she smiled, looking at Max's eyebrows furrow as she dreamed. Then she realized where she was. A Bible sat on her dresser, post-it notes on a number of verses about the shameful act of homosexuality. When she was young and questioning herself, she would look for verses that told her she was a sinner to keep from indulging in her desires.

Two parts of her quarreled. She wanted to jostle Max awake, tell her it was over, and send her on the first bus back to Blackwell. She also wanted to kiss Max until she couldn't feel anything and her legs turned to jelly. She wanted to feel every inch of Max, touch every freckle, and feel Max's breath against her neck and... Max's eyelashes brushing against her arm pulled her out of her fantasies.

"Heya, Kate." She mumbled quietly.

"Hi, Max." Kate kissed her forehead.

"I don't want to get up." Max groaned.

"You never do." Kate smiled and laughed. "But, Max, we need to get up and go shopping."

"Oh, the stores will be so crowded." She groaned more.

"You're the one who told me that we didn't need to shop before we left."

"Yeah, yeah." Max sat up and looked around the room confusedly. "I forgot we were at your parents house." She laughed a bit. "I expected to wake up in your bed at Blackwell."

"Well, this is still my bed." Kate shrugged.

"Yeah, but it doesn't smell like you." She scrunched her nose. "I guess you don't use the same laundry detergent as your parents."

"Yeah, they prefer lavender." Kate sat up as well.

"We should take a shower." Max said after a moment.

Kate felt her face heat up. She had only ever seen Max in her underwear before. A shower together? Wasn't that a bit quick? And at her parents' house too?

"I didn't mean together, Kate." Max says when she notices Kate's silence. She suddenly got a grin on her face. "Unless you want to."

"No, Max!" Kate lightly tapped Max's arm, too nice to hit her. "My parents and younger sisters live here!"

"Oh, yeah." Max was still smiling. She leaped towards Kate, kissing her happily. 

"What was that for?" Kate giggled, now laid across the bed under Max.

"I remembered I loved you." Max smiled.

"You cheese ball!" Kate tapped Max's arm again.

"Wanna make out?" Max jokingly said and pulled a goofy face.

"No!" Kate laughed and pushed Max off. "We really should get ready though."

"Fine." Max frowned.

"Hey, if we get shopping done early, we can come back here and be alone for a while." Kate tried to cheer her girlfriend up.

Kate felt her stomach drop and her heart leap at the same time when Max smiled naughtily.

Kate stepped into the shower with thoughts swirling in her head.

Your parents would be so ashamed. A woman who wants to get in your pants, and you would accept. Disgusting.

Kate's shower was soon a cold one.

\---------

"Goodbye, Katie!" Jodie smiled and waved as they pulled out of the driveway with the family car. "Bye, Max!"

"She's an early riser." Max comments.

"So am I." Kate smiled. "It's a family thing, I think. My parents will probably be up soon too."

"So, where to first, Marsh?" Max asked.

"Probably just to Walmart." Kate shrugged. "We can find something there."

Walmart was practically empty. There were only a few early morning shoppers searching through the barren aisles. Kate went straight to the books section, hoping to find a devotional for her aunt.

Max found a calendar with Bible verses for each month. Kate smiled exclaiming words of praise for Max.

Max suggested pajama pants for the younger Marsh sisters, and Kate had to agree since that was the only suitable gift they could find. They bought bright pink, soft pants for Lynn and pizza ones for Jodie.

After finding a candle for her mother and a "World's Best Dad" shirt for her father, Kate told Max they should be heading to the cash out.

"Shouldn't we get something for your aunt's husband?" Max hesitated. "He was really nice to me."

"Oh, I had forgotten!" Kate exclaimed.

"What would he want?" Max asked.

"Maybe something to do with cooking. He loves cooking. Though, I doubt we could find a cookbook here he doesn't own." Kate thought with her finger on her lip.

"You're really cute when you do that." Max pecked her cheek. "C'mon, I have an idea."

The cooking section didn't have much, but Max found exactly what she was looking for. It was simple. Only a little metal set of kitchen supplies, but Max and Kate hoped Mr. Tucker would appreciate it.

They got back around noon to find the house completely empty, and Kate felt her stomach drop again.

"Kate, what's wrong?" Max placed her hand on Kate's shoulder.

"Nothing." Kate shook her head and forced a smile. "Let's go up to my room."

As soon as Max closed the door, Kate lunged onto her with a kiss. She tried to forget about the disapproval of her parents and the Bible on the dresser. Just thinking about Max. Her mind flooded with the image of Max's eyes.

Max laughed and mentioned something about Kate being very hot and bothered. Soon Kate found herself on her bed, Max above her, kissing her slowly, never roughly.

Soon Kate pulled Max's shirt over her head, and Max started to unbutton hers. Just after Max slipped her shirt off of her, she felt so dirty, so terrible.

Kate suddenly felt tears prick at her eyes and her throat constrict.

"Kate, what's wrong?" Max asked worriedly. "I'm so sorry!"

"No, no." Kate shook her head. "I'm fine, Max. Let's... c'mon, let's keep..."

"You are in no state to keep going." Max said forcefully and pulled Kate into her lap. "I'm sorry if I went too far."

"No, no!" Kate shook her head. "It wasn't you. I just..."

Max took Kate's bun down and ran her freckled hands through the blonde hair.

"I hate that I'm..." Kate hesitated. "I hate that I'm never going to be what my parents want."

Max stayed silent, giving Kate time to continue if she wanted.

"Max, you're too good to me." Kate sighed into Max's embrace. "I wish we could live at Blackwell in your room forever."

"Me too." Max smiled a bit.

They didn't speak for a minute or two. Kate's hands drew constellations on the freckles on Max's chest, and Max just held Kate close.

"Would you ever consider dating Warren?" Kate's weak voice cracked.

"What?" Max asked.

"I just think that..." Kate trailed off. "He's perfect for you, y'know? I just wouldn't be surprised if you left me for..."

"Kate, no!" Max exclaimed a bit too loudly considering Kate's flinch. "I would never leave you for anyone else. That's stupid. I wouldn't hurt you like that."

Kate sighed and leaned into Max's chest as Max rubbed up and down the spine of her bare back. It embrace was so wonderful, so loving.

"I love you, Max." Those three words. They felt real though.

"I love you too, Kate." Max replied without missing a beat.

Kate kissed Max's cheek softly and started to get up.

"I'm gonna get dressed." She said. "I don't want my parents to find us half naked on my bed."

Max giggled and agreed for once.

\----------

Kate couldn't look her parents in the eyes at dinner. She felt dirty and unfit to be celebrating her savior's birth.

Soon, Auntie Marsh spoke up.

"So, Max," she began, "any boyfriends?"

"Nope. Not yet." Max smiled and spoke easily. It broke Kate's heart how easily Max denied her.

"Well, a girl your age should start looking." Auntie stated. "Temptations for other things grow the longer you wait." 

"I'm sure they do." Max said with a little more difficulty this time. She reached under the table and quickly squeezed Kate's hand.

"What's your favorite ice cream flavor?" Little Lynn finally spoke up.

Max laughed. "Rocky road." 

"That's the same as Kate's!" Lynn gasped.

"She made me try it, and I loved it." Max explained.

"Okay." Lynn put her finger on her lip, probably as she had seen Kate do. "Do you have any pets?"

"Nope." Max replied.

"Oh, that reminds me!" Jodie spoke up. "Where's Alice?"

"One of the girls at our dorm is taking care of her." Kate explained. "I didn't think they would let her on the bus we took here." Jodie nodded.

"Are you excited for Christmas, Max?" Lynn tried to lean over the table to where Max was.

Max laughed a bit by the pure childish enthusiasm. "Yes, I am. Are you?"

"Yes!" Lynn exclaimed. Kate couldn't believe how quiet she had been at dinner the previous night. Maybe her parents weren't going to punish her on Christmas Eve. "I'm gonna get presents, and we're gonna eat yummy food, and-"

"Lynn, Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ." Auntie Marsh said firmly.

"Oh, Jane, is Micah coming over tomorrow?" Mr. Marsh looked at Auntie Marsh.

Kate whispered a quick message to Max. Jane was Auntie Marsh, and Micah was her son.

Auntie Marsh's face twisted in a way Kate only remembered seeing in the hospital after her attempt. It was a look of disgust.

"He said if he did, he would bring his..." She hesitated, "partner."

"Oh, I want to see William again!" Lynn smiled.

"Yes. William seems like a very nice man." Mr. Marsh nodded.

"Wait, what?" Kate looked around at her family confusedly. "Who?"

"Micah's fiancé William." Jodie said quietly.

Kate didn't know how to react. She wanted to jump with joy that her father accepted his nephew's boyfriend so easily. She also wanted to cry from the tension around the table. Her father and sisters seemed like the only family without some kind of disapproval on their faces.

Despite all the joy she should've been brought at the moment, Kate just felt her blood pump faster and harder. She felt her scars hurt. Even though she knew it was probably just her mind playing tricks on her, it terrified her. She could suddenly see the edge of the roof top, and she could feel the wind against her back, her foot started to move towards the edge, and...

Max.

Max is talking her down.

Her soft face pleading for Kate.

Next to her, Max holds her hand.

Memories of the kisses Max peppered on her after she found Kate's scars. 

The feeling of finally being loved for everything she was.

The way Max was looking at her right then.

"Kate, are you alright?" She heard her mother ask.

"Yes, Mom, I'm sorry." Kate replied.

"Kate." Max said softly. Kate saw her hand twitch. Kate knew how much her girlfriend wanted to place her hands on Kate's face.

"I'm sorry..." She muttered and looked into her lap. "Just the sudden anxiety..."

"Are you trying to pull another stunt?" Auntie Marsh spoke harshly.

Kate stayed silent.

"Jane, please stop." Mr. Marsh said firmly.

"Well, this whole thing is just a teenager acting out." Auntie Marsh finally burst. "I just cannot believe all of this! Your daughter is taped doing sinful acts, tries to take her life, and you all dote over her! You have taken a sinner back into your house! She's an adult now! She can take care of herself."

Kate felt her heart stop. So many thoughts ran through her head like frayed threads with no conclusion.

Max was dragging her somewhere by the hand. She could barely move her legs. There was more yelling, and Max pulled out the front door and into the backseat of the family car.

Soon, Max was driving, and Kate finally could take a breath.

Max didn't speak until they parked at a convenience store down the road.

"I'm so sorry." Max whispered. "I had to get you out of there."

Kate couldn't stop staring a particular seam coming undone from the seat in front of her. While her thoughts were racing, her body seemed to just shut down.

"I could take you back to Blackwell, Kate." Max said. "Or we could stay, or just I could leave. Whatever you want."

"I want to go home, but I don't know exactly where that is." Kate said slowly.

Max just looked at her with pitiful eyes.

"I'm going to go back to your house, and at least talk to your family." Max sighed. "Unless you don't want to go back."

"It's fine." Kate sighed. "I'll stay in the car while you go in."

"Of course." Max smiled. "Can I kiss you?"

"Please." Kate finally exhaled.


	3. December 24th (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate feels better.
> 
> Max remembers Chloe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clarify, this fic is supposed to take place in the Save Arcadia Bay ending. However, Kate still attempted suicide from stress and bullying. Many people still blamed her for things that weren't her fault.
> 
> Okay, luv ya!

"Of course." Max smiled. "Can I kiss you?"

"Please." Kate finally exhaled.

 

Max opened her door to go sit in the back seat with Kate.

Kate grabbed Max's arm and pulled her into a kiss before she could even sit down.

Tears started running down her cheeks as Max kissed her. Max was always gentle. She always treated Kate as if she was made of glass. 

Max loved her for every piece. She slowly ran her fingers against the scars on Kate's wrists.

"I'm sorry." Was all Max could muster.

"I'm sorry too." Kate held Max close.

Kate felt cold when Max went back to the driver's seat.

"Should we tell them?" Max asked.

"About us?" Kate said a bit nervously.

"I guess." Max shrugged. "It's your choice though."

"I'd have to think about it." Kate sighed.

"No problem." Max looked into the back seat for a moment to smile at her girlfriend. "I don't lie when I say I love you, you know."

"I don't lie either." Kate wiped her nose on her sleeve.

Soon the brick home came into view and Max could hear Kate's breathing get faster.

"It's gonna okay, Kate." Max tried to calm her. "You know there's nothing wrong with you."

"Yeah." Kate tried to breathe evenly. "Yeah, I know you're right."

When they pulled into the driveway, Jodie ran out first. 

"Kate, are you okay?" She asked. "I tried to call, but you left your phone!"

"Jodie, I don't know." Kate replied. She wondered if she should tell her sister.

"I'm so sorry, Kate." Jodie hugged Kate as soon as she was out of the car. "Dad fussed at Auntie Marsh. Mom even got involved too, and you know she never speaks a word against Auntie."

"Is it okay for me to go inside?" Kate asked.

"Yeah." Jodie mustered a smile. "Everyone has calmed down."

When they walked into the home, there was almost absolute silence. The only sound was the occasional clink of glass and running of water. Kate's mother must've been washing up the dirty dishes.

Kate's father sat on the couch, reading something from a little yellow book. When he saw Kate, he smiled.

"C'mere, Katie." His smile reminded Max of so many happy summers and freshly mowed grass. Kate quickly ran to him and started crying in his lap.

"I'm sorry, Daddy." She sniffled. "I'm so sorry."

"You did nothing wrong, Katie." Her father patted her back. Soon, Kate's mother was also sitting with them, holding one of her hands.

If there was a perfect family moment in Kate's life, it was then. A family united instead of fighting over Kate like she was a porcelain doll. Fighting over whether she was faking all of this or not. Kate expelled the memories from her mind, and she thought only on the people surrounding her in the moment.

Kate soon realized Max wasn't in the room.

"She said she felt like she was invading on a family moment and went upstairs." Jodie explained to Kate's confused look.

"I'm..." Kate looked at her family. "I'm gonna go check on her, and probably go to bed afterwards."

"Alright." Kate's mother smiled. "Sleep well."

"I love you guys." Kate hugged each member of the family. They all responded with "Love you too"s.

Kate found Max talking to Lynn on the bed in Kate's room.

"So, she felt really, really sad?" Lynn asked.

"Yes, and Auntie Marsh got mad at her for asking for help." Max explained.

"But everyone gets upset sometimes!" Lynn protested. "And everyone needs the help!"

"You're right." Max nodded. "It's not right that Auntie got mad at her for being as depressed as she was."

"Oh, hi, Kate!" Max waved.

"Hi, Kate!" Lynn said. "I'm sorry that all that happened."

"Oh, Lynn, it's alright." Kate opened her arms to hug her little sister. "I just want you to remember that I'll be for you, even when I'm going to school somewhere else."

"Thank you, Kate." Lynn squeeze Kate's middle tightly.

"Now, you go to your room." Kate smiled. "Max and I have to stop about grownup stuff."

"Kate, I'm ten, not four." Lynn crossed her arms.

"Yeah, yeah, baby Lynn." Kate joked. "Shoo, shoo!"

Lynn left the room with a grumpy expression.

Max grabbed Kate's hand gently and pulled her into a hug.

"Kate, I'm so sorry..." Max said when she looked at Kate's tear stained cheeks. "God, I could've handled that whole thing better."

"No, Max, you did everything..." Kate trailed off.

"Oh, Kate." Max wiped the tears away with her thumb. "It's okay. Auntie Marsh is only staying here one more day, then she's going home. We'll have plenty of time to spend with your family without her."

"That'll be wonderful, Max." Kate sighed into Max's embrace. After a moment she leaned up to kiss her girlfriend. "I'm so sick of being sad or angry."

"If I can, I'll try to make you happy." Max showed a small grin.

Kate grabbed Max's face and kissed her, trying to forget about all the sadness, about her hurt, about her family. The girl in front of her had talked her down from the roof. The girl in front of her had visited her in the hospital before her family managed to. The girl in front of her was her girlfriend.

Max kissed Kate back with just as much happiness. The girl she was kissing was beautiful. The girl she was kissing was caring and had taken care of all the times Max had the sniffles. This girl trusted and loved her. The girl she was more than happy to talk down, and she would've done it a million more times if that was what it took.

Kate's hands tangled in Max's hair as Max slowly pushed her towards the door. Once Kate was pressed against the door, Max reached down to the knob to lock it.

"I can't believe we're doing this in my parents' house." Kate grinned.

"Are you really okay with this?" Max asked seriously.

"Of course I am, Max." Kate stopped smiling and looked Max in the eyes. "I really am."

"Tell me to stop if you want." Max finally smiled. She leaned down to press gentle kisses to Kate's neck. Kate couldn't help but smile down at Max.

When Max's teeth grazed across Kate's neck, she let out a small whimper and moved one of her legs in between Max's.

A small nip to the neck caused their thighs to rub together and made Kate hum.

"As much as I love this," Kate began pulling away a bit, "and I really do, I think we should stop."

"Yeah, you're right." Max nodded and stepped back.

Max went to her bag and dug through it.

"Hey, Max?" Kate said a bit nervously.

"Yeah?" Max replied, still turned away.

"Um..." Kate gulped, still nervous to get the special words out. "I love you."

Max turned around with a big, goofy grin. "Kaaate." She cooed. "I love you too!" She was holding her camera.

"Oh, Max, I'm sure I look like a mess. We've been kissing, and I've been crying..." Kate shook her head.

"Kate, just give me one smile." Max pleaded.

"Fine." Kate dramatically groaned and showed a nervous grin to the camera.

"God, you're breathtaking." Max looked up and down from the photo and to Kate. "I'm putting this in the "Wow, My Girlfriend is So Pretty" gallery at my art exhibit."

They got a good giggle out of that.

They soon started to get ready for bed, and Kate briefly complained that she was hungry since she hasn't eaten anything for dinner. While she was in the bathroom, Max tiptoed downstairs to the kitchen. There, she found Kate's mother.

"Hello, Mrs. Marsh." Max said politely. "I was going to come down and make Kate a sandwich, if that's alright."

"Yes, of course." Mrs. Marsh nodded and continued to put dinner's leftovers in plastic containers. "The peanut butter is in the pantry, and I'll get you the jelly." She reached into the fridge and pulled out a half empty jar of strawberry jelly. "Kate's the only one here who likes strawberry jelly, but she manages to eat her way through jars and jars."

Max laughed a bit and started to put the sandwich together. She also grabbed an orange and peeled it for Kate. 

"I think she'll be very appreciative." Kate's mother smiled in approval. "I'm glad she has a friend like you. She talks about you all the time."

"Thank you, Mrs. Marsh." Max smiled back.

"And Max?" Mrs. Marsh spoke up as Max started to walk away.

"Yes?" Max turned back.

"Thank you." Mrs. Marsh's eyes were red, and her cheeks were flushed. "Thank you for what you did for Kate, especially on the roof. I know she doesn't think I care about her, but... I never realized what a blessing she was until she was almost gone."

"Anybody else would've done the same." Max said. "I just happened to be there."

"No, Max. Not anybody." Mrs. Marsh shook her head. "She was surrounded by others. Some of them knew exactly what happened. Yet, you were one of the first to believe her. We're all very blessed you were there."

"I feel very blessed to have met Kate at all." Max smiled.

"Now, you better get to bed soon. We have an exciting morning tomorrow. Celebrating Christmas, and then Richard has a sermon in the afternoon."

"I'm excited to hear it, and I'm glad I'm here rather than the dorms for Christmas." Max said as she started to walk away.

"We're happy to have you." Mrs. Marsh replied.

When Max arrived in Kate's room, Kate was already lying in her bed looking at her phone.

"Hi, Max." Kate said without looking up. 

"Bon appetite." Max held the plate out.

"Oh, Max! You're the best." Kate gushed. "Thank you." She took the plate from Max. 

With Kate's hunger sated, the two finally went to bed that night. Soon, however, it was evident that sleep wouldn't come so easily.

Every time Max closed her eyes, she heard Chloe call out for her. Every time she would start to drift off, she would hear the scream of the hurricane in the distance.

Kate had been with Max on several of these nights and always tried her hardest to comfort her.

"Max, I never asked in fear of bringing back bad memories, but I need to know. Who is Chloe?" Kate asked softly.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Max muttered.

"Max, you know I always believe you." Kate sounded hurt.

"I don't believe it sometimes." Max sniffed as quietly as she could manage. "It's just... She was my best friend, and I watched her die."

"You mean the girl in the bathroom?" Kate gasped. "Max, I'm so sorry. You watched her die, and I can't imagine!"

"Yeah." Max curled up into Kate's embrace. "I knew her when we were kids, and for a bit of time before she died. It was rough." That was an understatement.

"I'm sorry, Max." Kate squeezed her from behind. "I can't do anything, and I'm sorry."

"I'll be alright." Max lied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Comments are loved, and criticism is appreciated!


	4. Christmas Day (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to apologize for the lack of updates. There's no excuse. I just suck.

Max pretended to be asleep until she felt Kate's breathing slow down. She got up slowly to make sure Kate wouldn’t be disturbed. 

The cold bit at Max's skin without the warmth of Kate's comforter. She grabbed the heaviest jacket she had brought to fight the early morning breeze. 

Max stopped to pick a flower from a wilting bush. It looked as if it had been a pale blue before the cold stripped away its color. 

The walk to the nearby train tracks was only a few minutes long. This huge railway system ran through the whole bay area, and anywhere you went, you could hear the sound of its engines and see the fading smoke in the sky. 

Snow crunched on the ground below Max as she went to mourn at the makeshift grave that was the old tracks. 

Max placed the single flower down on the tracks and thought about if Chloe could see it. Magic flowed through her at one point long ago, so maybe Chloe's spirit was there as well. 

All the butterflies had died off by this time of year anyway. If Chloe was around, she certainly wasn’t showing herself. 

"Sorry, Chlo." She sighed. "For a lot, I guess. I'm sorry I'm talking like I'm in a movie. I know you would hate that. Merry Christmas." 

Just as the sun started to rise, Max entered the Marsh house again, eager to cuddle back up next to Kate. 

\--- 

To Kate, an ideal way to wake up was to a warm cup of tea and breakfast in bed. Unfortunately, that was nothing like what Kate was getting at all. 

Lynn was pulling on a strand of hair Kate's hair while screaming at the top of her lungs. Max was already up, and by the looks of it, she hadn't slept very well. 

Max also looked like she was about to throw something at the screaming girl, but some veil of humanity kept her back. 

"Is this what having kids is like?" Max groaned. 

"I hope Lynn is an exception." Kate rubbed her eyes and absent mindedly swatted at her baby sister. 

"Kate! Max!" Lynn cried. "I want to open presents!" 

"Alright, alright, kid." Max stood up to put a sweatshirt over her thin sleep shirt. 

"Run out now so that we can get ready." Kate told her sister. 

Lynn left after a few grumbles, probably to go get Jodie or her parents up. 

Max kissed Kate's forehead and pulled her into a sitting position. 

"C'mon, bunny." Max peppered a few more kisses on Kate's cheeks. "We gotta get ready." 

"You're awfully awake this morning." Kate smiled up at her girlfriend. "And bunny? That’s a new one." 

"It suits you." Max responded simply while she picked out a cute red sweater for her girlfriend to wear and slipped it over her head. 

"You need to do this more often." Kate smiled. "I feel so pampered." 

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Max laughed. 

\--- 

A few minutes later, the pair arrived downstairs looking tired and in desperate need of caffeine. 

Auntie Marsh was the only person sitting at the kitchen table when they entered the room. Kate smiled at her politely, and Max just waved. 

"Good morning, girls." She said stiffly. "Coffee is on the counter." 

"Thank you, Auntie." Kate said nervously. "Would you like some coffee, Max?" 

"Oh, sure. Thanks." Max smiled. "I can grab it for myself though." 

"Don't worry about it." Kate pulled a mug out of the cupboard. 

"So, Max, where did you take Kate yesterday?" Auntie Marsh asked after a sip of her own coffee. Max saw Kate tense. 

"We just took a quick drive." Max said. "Just a moment away from the situation helps in my experience." 

"Maybe you two should've stayed around to hear me talk. You kids always seem to run as soon as you hear something you don't like." Auntie Marsh spoke strategically. It was obvious that she had an ulterior motive besides just complaining. 

"There's a difference between something we don’t like and claiming that Kate's depression was all an act." Max tried to remain calm and look Auntie in the face. 

"I know the girl better than you would. You've known her for a few months." Auntie frowned. "She always cried to get her way when she was a child." 

"Auntie, I don’t know what I'd have to say to convince you." Kate finally spoke up. "Would you please look at the man in jail? Do I have to remind you about him?" Her voice shook as she mentioned Jefferson. 

"You put that upon yourself. You went to that horrid party." Auntie Marsh stood her ground. 

"You think she really asked to be drugged?!" Max started to raise her voice. 

"Max, it's okay." Max took Kate's hand and looked into her eyes. 

"What's the real reason you came up to stay with us, Max?" Auntie was persistent. "To break apart a perfectly fine family? To convince Kate that all this behavior was right?" 

"Auntie, no!" Kate squeezed Max's hand and gripped the mug with her other. "She didn’t want to hurt us at all!" 

"It's you that's breaking this family apart!" Auntie accused. "Tainted a pure girl, and came to ruin her family!" 

"Miss, those weren't my intentions!" Max worriedly looked from Kate to Auntie. 

"All of this blasphemy Kate has been spouting out! I bet that came from you!" Auntie stood up. "I bet the next thing she'll tell me is that she's a homo!" 

"I've been telling you that since I was thirteen, Auntie! I've been telling all of you that!" Kate screamed. "But you know what you did? You told me I was a sinner, and you sent me to a summer camp so that you didn’t have to look at my face! I thought I could trust you, Auntie, but you just kicked me out! You kicked your own son out too!" 

"You were confused! Barely a teen! How could you decide you were homosexual so young?!" Auntie yelled. 

"Well, I know now!" Kate let go of Max's hand and put it around her waist. "This is my girlfriend, Max! She's beautiful, and she loves me, and she brought me down from that damned roof, and she gave me a better home than you ever could!" 

Auntie Marsh's mouth twisted in a way that looked both like a smile and a scowl. 

"I had hoped it wasn’t true." She sighed with that same grimace on her face. "Your parents will be disappointed." 

"They'll understand." Kate shook her head. "Can we just wait until Christmas is over to talk about this? I don’t want to ruin it for Lynn." 

Auntie Marsh couldn’t argue with that.


	5. December 25th (Part 2)

Max kept kneading her hands into each other, as if somehow, that would calm her nerves. She ran her fingers over calluses, thinking about how smooth Kate's hands were compared to hers. 

Of course, with Auntie Marsh and her husband just a few feet away, it wouldn’t have been the best time to feel Kate's hands for herself. 

They were sitting in the local church listening to Mr. Marsh's sermon. Max couldn’t help but think about how beautiful Kate looked in her Christmas dress, matching with Lynn and Jodie. The red of the silky dress stood out against Kate's pale skin and light hair. 

Kate had been frowning since the talk with Auntie Marsh. 

"I crossed a line." She said to herself when she and Max were alone. "She's my aunt. I yelled at her, and..." 

Max had tried to comfort her, but the girl was too caught up in her thoughts and guilt. 

So, now they sat in church, one of the first times Max had been in years. Mr. Marsh walked up on the stage to stand behind a podium, presumably with his notes and Bible on it. 

Max felt herself tune out. All she could hear was Auntie Marsh's words over the drone of Mr. Marsh's voice. Like white noise, everything else faded into the background. 

A scenario played out in her mind. Kate was no longer allowed to go to Blackwell, and she definitely wasn’t allowed to see Max anymore. Maybe her family would reject her or force her to go to some camp to fix her. Max knew the latter option was less likely since Kate was eighteen and an adult by law. Max still worried, however. 

Then she felt Kate's knee hit her own. 

"He's talking about you." She whispered. 

Suddenly, Max was hyper-aware to what Mr. Marsh was talking about. 

"Sometimes, angels come into your life, church members. These angels will protect your loved ones when you cannot. These angels are your family, and you must cherish them. Christmas is a time for remembering your family, your angels, and most importantly, the birth of Jesus Christ. Praise Him for your blessings today, church! Go in peace!" Mr. Marsh finished up his sermon, and the church erupted into applause. 

Mr. Marsh shook a few hands and spoke to a few churchgoers before heading back to his family. 

"Ready to go home, Lynn?" Mr. Marsh asked. 

"Can we open presents?" Lynn grinned happily. 

"Of course, honey." Mr. Marsh ruffled her hair a bit. 

"Jane, will you be joining us for lunch?" Mr. Marsh asked his sister. 

"Of course, we will!" Auntie Marsh smiled a little wider than usual. "Maybe if it's alright with you, we could stay another night? The roads will be awful tonight." 

Kate sucked in a breath, and Max had to restrain herself from reaching out to grab her hand. 

"Now, what would my church think if I turned away my own sister?" Mr. Marsh joked. "Yes, you can stay." 

Max saw Mrs. Marsh grip her purse a little tighter and look away from her husband and sister-in-law. Jodie pulled out her phone and tried to hide her scrunched up face. Seemed that most of the family wasn’t too keen on the possibility of another Auntie-initiated fight. 

With Mrs. Marsh angrily gripping the wheel, the family drove home. Auntie Marsh and her husband, poor Mr. Tucker, drove in a separate car. 

After a few minutes of driving, Mrs. Marsh spoke up. 

"You know that your sister is up to something, don’t you?" Mrs. Marsh said quietly so that Jodie and Lynn in the back wouldn't hear them. 

"Yes, I suspected as much." Mr. Marsh frowned for the first time that day. "I couldn't have turned her away, though." 

"I don't want to have another repeat of last night." Mrs. Marsh sighed. 

"It's Christmas, dear! She won't pull a stunt on Christmas." Mr. Marsh tried to cheer up his wife. 

Max and Kate looked at each other silently, support and hope in both their eyes and tiny smiles. 

Arriving home went well, actually. Presents were opened in peace, with Lynn practically exploding from excitement at every one she opened, and afterwards, the Marshes put on some awful Christmas movie that it was tradition to watch. 

"Would anyone like any coffee or cocoa?" Kate asked. "I'm going to go make some." 

The family told Kate their orders, and Kate stood up to head to the kitchen. 

"Max, would you come help me carry everything?" Kate asked. 

"Yeah." Max hopped off her spot on the couch to join Kate in the kitchen. 

"It seems to be going okay." Kate sighed as she put the coffee grounds into the coffee machine. "Auntie hasn’t made a show yet." 

"It'll be alright, Kate." Max placed a soft kiss on Kate's cheek. 

A few hours later, after two awful Christmas movies, Lynn fell fast asleep after she came down from all the sugar she had all day. It was already starting to get dark outside, and the anxiety of another potential fight grew in the whole house. 

While everyone lounged in the living room, reading or talking to each other, Auntie Marsh spoke up. 

"What are you and your girlfriend talking about over there?" She yelled for everyone to hear. The room became dead silent. The only sound to be heard was Mr. Marsh putting his book down and looking to Auntie Marsh angrily. 

Kate's face paled, but Max tried to stay calm. 

"If you're referring to Kate and I, we're talking about the importance of color in photography, and how the presence or lack of it affects the piece." She somehow was able to get through the sentence. "My mom always called her friends her "girlfriends" too. It's a bit of a deference between generations, huh?" 

The red-hot lie hurt coming out of Max's throat. 

Of course, Auntie wasn’t going to be satisfied with that answer. 

"You know what I meant. It wasn’t a slip of the tongue." Auntie wouldn’t break eye contact with Max, trying to intimidate her. 

"Jane, honey, please, don't try to start anything." Mr. Tucker frowned. 

"No! Don't "honey" me!" Auntie Marsh stood up and yelled at her husband before turning to her brother. "They should know if they raised a homo!" 

Max finally looked away from the angry woman and looked to Kate, who was staring at her shaking hands in her lap. 

"I don't know what to do." She whispered. 

"It'll be okay." Max didn’t know what to say besides that. She had said it so many times that it started to lose its meaning. She put her hands over Kate's hands, trying to stop the shaking. 

"No, Max, it won't." Kate shook. "It won't be okay. It's all going wrong, and..." Kate looked up to see that her family was staring at the two. 

"Jane, please stop this." Mrs. Marsh stood next to her husband. "It's not fair to anyone." 

"But you should know! Those two are dating each other! I told you that sinful school was a bad idea, but no one listens to me! Look at how corrupted your daughter has become!" Auntie yelled at her brother and his wife. 

Kate brought her eyes back to her and Max's hands, focusing on them like something would change if she just stared there. 

Max felt time slow down. 

No, literally. For real. 

Maybe because of this moment of panic, a small flash of Max's powers returned to her. 

She had gotten herself out of some deep shit before with her powers. Time to do it again. 

She decided to test the waters first. What would happen if she just came out and said it? 

"Yeah, Kate and I are together! And I love her!" Max yelled angrily. 

"Max, no!" Kate cried at her, finally letting her tears run loose. 

"See? I told you!" Auntie Marsh cackled. "I wasn't lying!" 

Kate was crying harder now, and the anger on Mrs. Marsh's face was terrifying. It wasn't directed at Auntie Marsh, though. It was directed at the two of them. 

"Kate, you're telling me that she's telling the truth?! How could you?!" Mrs. Marsh shot her words like venom gnawing away at Kate's skin. 

"Mom, I'm sorry!" She cried harder. "I'm sorry!" 

Well, in all the panic, Max could tell that this route was not the way to go. 

Rewind. 

"Look at how corrupted your daughter has become!" Auntie yelled at her brother and his wife. 

Okay, Max went back only a few minutes. Perfect. 

What to say this time? 

Maybe try leaving like yesterday night? 

"Kate, let's go." She whispered into her girlfriend's ear. 

"No, Max. I have to f-face this." Her voice still shook even as her face was determined. "Please don’t back out on me now." 

Rewind. 

"Look at how corrupted your daughter has become!" Auntie yelled at her brother and his wife. 

Max pondered over what she could change this time. Maybe lash out at Auntie? 

"How about you treat your niece like she's worth a damn?" Max turned to Auntie and yelled while still holding Kate's hands. "You make her so miserable!" 

"I'm trying to do what's best for her!" Auntie yelled. 

"Is what’s best for her sending her awful letters? Screaming at her? You're worse than the bullies that put her on that roof!" Max felt Kate's hands shaking harder than ever. 

Jodie sat, shaking near Kate, not knowing what to do. 

"I don't want Jodie to end up like her!" Auntie changed her argument. 

"Jodie's doing just fine without you deciding what she'll be like!" Kate finally spoke. 

"Jane, I think you've interfered with the raising of our children far too much." Mr. Marsh stayed calm and held his wife's hand. "We can raise our children on our own." 

Mr. Tucker stood up behind his wife and spoke quietly. 

"Sweetie, we should just go home." He spoke with a pained expression on his face. 

"No more of the children in this family should be fags!" She started to cry. "I can't take thinking about how many of them are going to Hell! I want to be with my family in Heaven!" 

Max almost felt a little bad for the woman. Maybe in her own twisted way, she was just trying to help. But she was wrong, and nothing would ever change that. 

Mr. Tucker led his now weeping wife out of the room, towards their guest room. 

There was an uncomfortable silence that enveloped the room. No-one wanted to say the first words. 

"Your dad and I have to talk." Mrs. Marsh sighed. "Go to your rooms, kids." 

Kate didn’t need to be told that twice. She practically dashed to her room with Max in tow. 

Max walked into the room a moment later, finding Kate's long blonde hair sprawled against the pink bed sheets. She gripped a pillow in between her arms and tried not to cry loudly. 

Max lay behind her, rubbing her back slowly. 

"I'm s-sorry." Kate sniffed and stuttered. "I-I'm so, so sorry." 

"You did nothing wrong." Max said quietly. 

"Has this been the worst Christmas ever, or what?" Kate asked sadly, trying to laugh, but just sucking in a shaky breath. 

"You've made it worth everything. I wouldn’t let you face this on your own." Max replied. 

She swung an arm around Kate, holding her close. She held her as if she was a small, fragile animal. She was ready to be broken, and Max had to protect her all she could from that fate. 

She held her gently, like she was a porcelain doll, but firmly, as not to drop her to the hardwood floor. 

Max didn’t have any nightmares about Chloe that night. What threatened her sleep was the fear of her lover being taken away, by family or by gravity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so so much for your nice comments and Kudos! And I am so sorry these have been taking so long to be released. I promise you that the story will be finished by Christmas, and I already have the next and last two chapters planned out. Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> A Necessary Evil will be updated once a week or more if possible.


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